Work Experience
Robotics
Bioreactor for Cancer Treatment - PA Consulating
BIO 'Cocoon' Bioreactor
Cart T Cell treatment has been shown to be an effective treatment for many types of cancel. It works by taking T-cells from the blood of the patient, modifying them using a custom designed virus to target the cancer cell, reproducting these cells in a bioreactor and reintroducing them into the body. Here they attack the cancer cell.
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Unmodified T-cells attack foreign particles in the body but are unable to recognise the cancer cells.
Two of the biggest challenges of this process are:-
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Laborious nature of the work, involving many manual steps over many weeks.
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Critical problem of hygiene. The slightest contamination of the sample will make it unuseable.
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Both these issues can be solved with automation.
PA Consulting was commissioned to design and build such a device for OriBiotech (as described here).
The design consisted of many motorised and synchronised units. Multiple sensors of different types. Fluidic systems to introduce and remove liquids while maintaining complete sterility.
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The manufacture and build of the device was completed in an accelerated program using global suppliers and hundreds of custom parts. This was all achieved despite the Covid Pandemic and most of the team working apart.
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NB the 'Cocoon' device (above) is a competitor device. The PA device can not be shown for legal reasons.